Has ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Drifted Too Far From Its Ballroom Roots?

Dancing with the Stars has been a stalwart of ABC’s programming for 33 seasons. Throughout its history, the series has paired professional ballroom dancers with celebrities to teach them complicated techniques to score judge points. But has the show drifted too far from its roots to be called a ballroom dance competition series?

‘Dancing with the Stars’ was once a strict ballroom competition series

Upon the series’ debut in 2005, season 1 featured only six celebrities and pros, and the dances were strictly ballroom. The series focused on six styles of traditional ballroom dancing: cha-cha, waltz, rumba, quickstep, jive, tango, and salsa.

As the series progressed, it added Argentine tango, Viennese waltz, foxtrot, paso doble, Latin, and samba. Judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Bruno Tonioli held the pros to a high standard. Inaba was the only judge who had no formal ballroom training.

But, as the series progressed, it appeared to veer away from its traditional ballroom roots. Goodman was highly critical of the pros for straying from the formal steps of a dance and integrating more modern moves. Tonioli also kept correcting the pros and celebrities to remain in frame. He ensured their feet stayed in position throughout the dance.

Subsequently, as the show grew in popularity, tweaks were made to make it less strict and more viewer-friendly. Although most pros were trained in some form of ballroom dance, not all were trained in every type.

So, the series strayed further away from the ballroom technicality that dominated it and became a dance series. Today, Inaba, Tonioli, and Derek Hough give critical reviews to both the pros and celebrities. But it may not be enough to keep the show true to its roots.

Today, ‘Dancing with the Stars’ features a mix of strict ballroom and creative choreography

Today’s version of Dancing with the Stars is a world away from the original series. The lights, confetti, colorful sets, and the addition of troupe members to celebrity dances all attempt to keep viewers interest.

Even the judges appear to have softened over the years. However, the late Len Goodman couldn’t be swayed by what he called the “razzle dazzle” of specific routines.

He often called out classically trained dancers like Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Cheryl Burke, and Derek Hough for straying from their ballroom roots. Goodman was the throwback to Dancing with the Stars’ old days when the ballroom was king and flash and finesse distracted from the dances.

Today, Derek Hough, who has been classically trained in ballroom since childhood, tries to maintain the stability Goodman brought to the show. However, he balances out criticism with a celebrity’s footwork and frame with positive commentary.

When was the last time ‘Dancing with the Stars’ performed traditional ballroom dance?

The current and OG pros of Dancing with the Stars banded together to perform a Waltz honoring Len Goodman’s legacy in the ballroom in October 2023. The ballroom judge died in April 2023, shortly after retiring from the ABC series at the end of season 31.

The performance of the Henry Mancini song “Moon River” was filled with traditional content that the late head judge would have loved. It was his favorite song. The dance celebrated everything Goodman loved about conventional ballroom.

Mark Ballas, Maks Chmerkovskiy, Kym Herjavec, Anna Trebunskaya, Louis van Amstel, Karina Smirnoff, Edyta Sliwinska, and Tony Dovolani returned to the ballroom to dance in his honor. They were joined by the pros of season 32.

So, while Dancing with the Stars may have veered far away from its traditional ballroom roots, it appears, thus far this season, to have tried to keep some of the razzle-dazzle at bay. Perhaps producers will try to create the mix the show needs to maintain longevity as it progresses throughout season 33.

Dancing with the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, and the episode airs the following day on Hulu.